What kind of cake should I make?

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Hopper

I want to make a birthday cake for my room mate, and I have some experience making fancy cakes. Only problem is I'm limited to my dorm room. I have a few supplies, two round cake pans, three piping tips (small drop flower, large drop flower(the pointy churro one), and leaf), blue, yellow, and green food coloring. That's about it. Any ideas for decrations? Unfortunately I don't have a writing tip, black/red food coloring, or fondant.

Answer
Well you can have a delicious cake look disgusting or you can decorate a brick to look like a cake (say it's original style pound cake and they'll never know!).

But if you scarce on cake decor, try choosing a cake with a color that goes with were you serve it. For example a simple white glaze dribbled on a pumpkin cake looks wonderful on a simple wooden table with a few leaves and a candle.

But it really is just icing on the cake. So I'd focus on the cake it self and what you might have with it. Even simple cake recipes can go a long way if you throw in some spices and serve with hot tea. Also remember there are some always classic combos, dark chocolate with a layer or raspberries, lemon and poppy seeds, and my new favorite, (I never thought I'd like white cake) white cake with a thin layer of whip cream and fresh strawberries, a not too sweet frosting and some white chocolate shavings.

Is is possible to plan and prep a wedding with only a couple months left?

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Crazy swee

My fiance is away, and we decided to get married when he gets back before he leaves. So im planning this on my own... Just wanted to make sure its possible, and maybe get some tips...

Answer
I was engaged on June 20 and married on August 29. I actually had everything in process with deposits paid and things ordered by the end of 4th of July weekend, so I planned it in about 2 weeks! And that was in 1992 before the Internet was available to help me! You can do this.

1. Guest list -- this will drive what you need in a venue. All the popular venues were taken for mine, but some friends from the other side of town showed me a private garden/park I had not been familiar with that was gorgeous!
http://visitsiouxcity.org/wp-content/uploads/Latham-Park-140x120.jpg
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQk6lMhUNovE24ry8jvgBiqn7mYbW1SpTAn4aO8mFwzarey_aNyQ

With an outdoor venue, then you do the running around for rentals of tables, chairs, punch bowls, dishes, table covers, etc. etc. With a more ready made venue in a church hall, Masonic lodge, party room, etc. you save on that. I wanted an outdoor wedding, but you may or may not.

2. Dress. I actually was able to get a seamstress who was a great friend, as she had also made my prom/homecoming/etc. dresses in the past, to make the four dresses for me and my bridesmaids and flower girl. My needs were simple and realistic. She got them all done by 3 weeks before the wedding, which was awesome, and I got my dress I wanted, patterned off of Caroline Kennedy's. Another option is to go into the dress shops (not necessarily bridal) and look for white, cream, champagne or other colored formal dresses that you would like. You probably have some time for alterations if they're not extensive. You don't have time to order from the bridal shop. Other women in the wedding can choose their own dress based on a color, and you could pick an easy color like black, pink, or blue. It is possible there are some lovely summer dresses on sale right about now.

3. Men's clothes -- they can wear their own suits, or if it's less formal, they can all wear blue dress shirts, khaki trousers, and matching ties.

4. Food -- I kept it simple and had everything from the supermarket. Seriously. We had a 1:30 pm wedding and cake reception, and also had trays of meats, cheeses, fruit salads in a carved out watermelon, punch, water, coffee, tea and sodas. The supermarket bakery made a beautiful marble cake and delivered freshly made sandwich buns, the deli department put the trays together and made us a specialty condiment for the sandwiches, and delivered the nicely carved fruit salads. I got colored Chinet plates and clear disposable silverware from the party store, as well as colored table covers. If I had it to do over, I would have picked up a hodge podge of china/stoneware plates from the thrift stores, and let guests take their plates home as a favor. I also would have stepped up and gotten the license for beer, wine and a signature cocktail for the afternoon wedding. Like any party, also, you can never have enough ice.

5. Music -- I had a brass quintet from the college for the ceremony and a jazz pianist (we rented a nice keyboard from the music store) for the afternoon garden reception. You might think about an afternoon reception or at any rate skipping the dancing. However, in today's age of playlists, maybe a friend could set up playlists and speakers for both ceremony and reception music. A new iPod costs less than a DJ.

I think that's it. That's the wedding I put together in about six weeks, all told. I was basically done by the end, so that I had time to visit my grandparents in Florida, who were unable to attend (though I still think their reason for not attending is kind of lame). With such a quick wedding, I missed having my out of town cousins and some others there, but it was still a completely lovely afternoon. Having it in such an amazing garden space meant I didn't need any flowers or decor other than bouquets and boutineres, so that was something. With all the brilliant color around us, I went for all-white bouquets of white roses and daisies. I even went without table centerpieces, because it was such a paradise to spend the afternoon in.

Officiant: luckily the pastor who had confirmed me and was a family friend was available. I am not sure what my alternative would have been. Just made calls I guess.

Do you think these two colors will go together?

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DragonSel

Ice Blue and Midnight Blue for a midsummer or spring wedding. :D I still have a long time to think about it, but I just wanted to know the general opinion about the colors. Oh, and I would also like to know what colors you used at/are planning for your wedding.

Answer
I like it. It sounds very elegant. I typically tell my brides to choose 3 colors, just so that one of them evens out the other two &makes a good contrast. I'd suggest a platinum, or maybe even white would look beautiful. &my wedding I'm actually in the planning process, but my color scheme is cloud, cream &platinum. I want it alll very light cause the lighting is going to finish everything off beautifully. I've hired this lighting company &they're going to just make all the lighting in the room blue, therefore when it reflects against the white decor it's going to give the room that silver look I envision. It's going to be a winter wonderland :)